


You're Kind of Perfect

by XxmerthurcatxX



Series: Bubblegum Bitch [35]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Panic Attacks, Tumblr Prompt, feeeeeeeeeeeeeelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 10:58:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18991300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxmerthurcatxX/pseuds/XxmerthurcatxX
Summary: prompt(s):“I’m right here, okay?” “Are you okay?” “I’m scared.” “It’s okay to cry.” “I’m not drunk enough for this." “I can’t breathe.” “Look at me.” “I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”The last thing Steve expected when he went to go check up on the "Hargrove situation" at the junkyard was for Billy to come out to him.





	You're Kind of Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr @callmelilyshameless

Steve had changed a lot over the last two years. After what happened with the Upside Down, they all had. He used to be out partying every weekend, hell sometimes in the middle of the week, chain smoking and drinking whatever was handed to him. He was more reserved now. A little bit more of a rule follower.

That being said, he was currently breaking several traffic laws, driving at breakneck speed through the streets of Hawkins. These were extenuating circumstances and, considering he’d gotten a call from Hopper to handle a “situation” at the junkyard, he knew he wasn’t going to get pulled over.

“El was doing a check, making sure everything was quiet out there and uh…well, think you better head over to the junkyard,” Hopper said, voice crackly over the walkie.

“Why? What’s going on?” Steve asked. It was late, but he was awake because fuck it, he never slept anymore. Not really anyway.

“It’s Hargrove. He’s…in a bad way.”

Steve was out of bed and dragging on a pair of jeans so fast he made himself dizzy.

He and Billy weren’t exactly best friends or anything, but one night a few months back Billy had shown up on Steve’s front steps, beaten and bloodied and Steve had patched him up and let him crash on the couch without a second thought. It happened a lot after that. More often than Steve would like. Billy was an asshole, but he didn’t deserve to get the snot beat out of him on a weekly basis.

It was his Dad that did it. They never talked about it. They didn’t need to. Steve knew. It wasn’t hard to figure out that whoever was hitting Billy, Billy wasn’t hitting them back.

Steve pulled into the junkyard, right next to Billy’s Camaro, leaving his engine running and his high beams on for extra light. The other boy was sitting on the hood of his car, a handful beer cans scattered at his feet. Even in the dark Steve could see his eyes were glassy and unfocused when they met his.

“Harrington. You came to save me,” Billy said, grinning up at him. His face was bruised, worse than Steve had seen it in awhile. Whatever set his Dad off this time must have been bad.

Steve nodded, coming to stand in front of Billy, hands in his pockets.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Billy shrugged, reaching into the pocket of his jacket, frowning when he couldn’t find his cigarettes.

“I’m always okay. Not like I don’t deserve it, right?” Billy asked with a laugh. “I mean, I’m a piece of shit and everyone knows it. You know it. Max knows it. My Dad knows it.”

“You’re not a piece of shit,” Steve said honestly, flinching when Billy’s head shot up, his eyes angry as he grimaced at Steve.

“No? You wouldn’t be saying that if you really knew me, Harrington. If you had a nice long chat with my Dad, he’d tell you exactly what a useless waste of fucking space I am,” Billy spat, words losing some of their bite as his voice wavered.

Steve shook his head.

“I don’t care what your Dad thinks. He’s the waste of space, not you, okay? You shouldn’t listen to his bullshit. He doesn’t-

“Save the hero act for someone who cares. You…You wouldn’t protect me if you knew. You’d run for the hills. You should run for the hills. Put my face in your rearview mirror and never look back.”

Steve frowned. Billy was a lot of things, but Steve had never known him to be self deprecating. At least not like this. He as supposed to be a cocky asshole who know he was hot and used it to his advantage. But now…now he looked broken down.

“Look, Billy-

“I’m gay,” Billy blurted, eyes widening when he realized what he’d just said.

Steve was a little surprised and a little bit not.  He sort of suspected, hoped, that Billy might be into guys. Now of course didn’t seem like the time to celebrate, since Billy looked like he was waiting for the world to open up and swallow him whole so he could be alone with his shame. He must have been quiet for too long because Billy’s bottom lip started to quiver and the tears that had been prickling at his eyes since Steve showed up, finally started to fall.

“Fuck, I’m not drunk enough for this,” Billy grumbled, rubbing impatiently at his tears, trying and failing to get himself under control. He choked on his next breath, curling in on himself, his body shaking with sobs that were getting harsher by the minute.

“Whoa, Billy, it’s okay,” Steve said, snapping himself out of his stupor and placing his hands on Billy’s shoulders.

“I-I can’t breathe,” Billy managed, sobs wracking his whole body now as he hiccuped with each attempt at a breath.

Steve acted on instinct, stepping between Billy’s legs and grabbing one of his hands to place of his own chest.

“Look at me. Come on sweetheart, look at me,” Steve said, not caring that he’d let the endearment slip out. Billy needed to breathe. That was the most important thing right now.

Billy shakily looked up at him, his breath still coming out too ragged. 

“Match my breathing, okay? Take a couple deep breaths with me. You can do this,” Steve said, hand coming to rest on Billy’s cheek, keeping both of them grounded. He smiled as he watched Billy’s chest starting to rise and fall in time with his. “That’s it. That’s it. Just breathe. It’s okay. It’s all okay,” Steve said, trying to pacify the other boy. 

Billy reached for Steve, locking his arms around Steve’s waist and hiding his face in his stomach. Steve carded his fingers through Billy’s curls, slick with sweat from the heat of Hawkins during the summer. 

“I’m right here, okay?” Steve murmured.

Billy nodded against him before pulling back, scrubbing impatiently as the last few tears sliding down his cheeks. He looked ashamed, leaning back to put a little distance between him and Steve, but Steve wasn’t having that, cupping Billy’s face in his hands and brushing his thumbs over his cheekbones. 

“It’s okay. To cry, I mean,” he said, smiling reassuringly. 

Billy scoffed. 

“It’s whatever,” he grunted. 

Steve rolled his eyes, shaking his head fondly at the other boy, not thinking as he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. Billy flinched in surprise, fingers curling around one of Steve’s wrists, gripping so hard it almost hurt.   

“What are you doing?” he asked. 

Steve blushed. He could backtrack. Say he got caught up in the moment. But he didn’t want to lie. Billy deserved the truth. He took a deep breath. 

“I like you,” he said quickly. “A lot. Too much, probably. But I-I can’t help it because I’ve gotten to know you the past couple of months and the truth is, I wouldn’t change a thing about you. You’re…I mean…I kind of think you’re perfect,” Steve said hurriedly. 

“You’ve got a fucked up definition of perfect,” Billy grumbled, his thumb rubbing slow circles on Steve’s wrist. 

Steve grinned, tipping Billy’s chin up and kissing his forehead again. Billy let out a soft sigh as Steve pressed soft kisses to both his eyelids, his cheeks, the tip of his nose. He paused, lips hovering just over Billy’s. 

“I’m scared,” Billy breathed, looking more vulnerable than Steve had ever seen him. 

Steve nodded, taking a step back, not wanting to scare the younger boy off. 

“Me too,” he murmured, running a hand through his hair. “We, um, we don’t have to-

Billy pulled Steve back in, so close their lips brushed together. 

“Yes, we do.”


End file.
